G Adventures’ New Polar Expeditions

Demand for repeat expedition visits has led G Adventures to launch two new itineraries to the southernmost continent on board its expedition vessel M/S Expedition. Both itineraries are featured in G Adventures’ new 2013 Polar Expeditions brochure, which is available now. 

One of the new itineraries explores the abundant wildlife of the Falklands and South Georgia, where travellers this early in the season will be among the first to make landfall. The other itinerary heads to the Weddell Sea, retracing the journey made by Shackleton onboard Endurance and taking in views of spectacular tabular icebergs.Also featured in the new brochure is a programme of  expeditions during the Arctic summer, ensuring lovers of polar bears are also catered for.

All expedition cruise fares include a number of zodiac landings, accommodation and meals onboard, and lectures and daily recaps. Example itineraries from the new Polar Expeditions 2013 include:  

The Antarctic Peninsula and the Weddell Sea – 15 days travelling from Ushuaia, traversing the Drake Passage and exploring the Weddell Sea and South Shetland Island, priced from £5,149pp, departing December 7. 

Falklands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Islands – 22 days travelling from Buenos Aires “the Paris of the Americas” to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica before traversing the Drake Passage to Ushuaia, priced from £5,579pp, departing October 17. 

Realm of the Polar Bear – Eight days travelling from Longyearbyen to the Svalbard Archipelgo and Spitsbergen before returning to Longyearbyen, priced from £2,299pp for departures in June and July.

For more info, look up www.gadventures.co.uk and, for more on Polar expedition cruising, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's specialist adventure-cruise agents.

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Hurtigruten Make Norwegian Dreams Come True

If sailing the Norwegian Fjords is on your ‘must-do’ list for 2013, then this special offer from Hurtigruten is sure to make that dream come true.

 

Anyone booking a full or half voyage along the Norwegian coast before November 30 can save up to 25% off the brochure price. Whether it is a summer voyage to see the Midnight Sun, a winter trip in search of the Northern Lights or a spring or autumn voyage to enjoy the changing seasons, savings can be made on departures throughout the year.

 

The offer is applicable to the popular 12-day Classic Round Voyage starting in Bergen in the south and travelling above the Arctic Circle to Kirkenes and back plus the two half voyages, the Voyage North or the Voyage South. The saving is also valid on the Classic Norwegian Discovery itinerary, which travels from Bergen to Kirkenes and back to Trondheim.

 

A voyage with Hurtigruten offers passengers the opportunity to get closer to the shores, coastline and communities of Norway as the ships call at over 34 ports of call, many of them not visited by the larger cruise ships.

 

Classic Round Voyage: Bergen–Kirkenes–Bergen, 12 days

Summer: June 1 to September 14, from £1,893 per person, saving £631pp off the brochure price.
Winter: Jan 1 to March 14 and Nov/Dec, from £1,177pp, saving £392pp.

Classic Voyage North: Bergen-Kirkenes, 7 days

Summer: June 1 to September 14, from £1,279pp, saving £426pp.
Winter:Jan 1 to March 14 and Nov/Dec, from £826pp, saving £275.

All prices are full board and based on two sharing. Flights are extra. Must book by November 30.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's adventure cruise specialists.

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The Secret Arctic with Compagnie du Ponant

Embark on the brand new ship Le Soléal for a seven-day cruise in the Arctic Ocean from just £1,909. Follow in the steps of the great explorers of centuries past and sail beyond the Arctic Circle on board Compagnie du Ponant’s very latest vessel.

The small exploration ship - launching in July 2013 - will give its 260 passengers the opportunity to discover breathtaking Arctic landscapes, from majestic icebergs and colourful villages of Greenland to glaciers, fjords, blue lagoons and Polar Bears, as well as exploring other extreme destinations.

Compagnie du Ponant offers adventure cruises to the Arctic onboard Le Soléal and sister-ship Le Boréal – the perfect opportunity to (re-)discover one’s inner adventurer!

The price includes:

• All meals – from dinner on the day of embarkation to breakfast on the day of disembarkation
• Welcome aboard and captain’s cocktail parties, gala dinner
• Mineral water, tea, filter coffee, white, red and rosé wines served with meals
• 24-hour room service (selected menu)
• Evening entertainments and events, and/or organised shows
• Porterage from the quayside to the ship and vice versa

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's adventure-cruise specialists.

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Famous Explorer Aboard Fred Olsen's Arctic Voyage

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines' Balmoral will have a very special guest lecturer aboard the 16-night ‘Arctic Mountains, Fjords & Polar Bears’ cruise, which departs Southampton on July 26 - Sue Stockdale, the first British woman to ski to the North Pole, who will be aboard as part of the Vistas enrichment programme.

After leaving Southampton, the cruise calls first at Ǻlesund in Norway. This pretty town was destroyed by fire in 1904 and completely rebuilt in Art Nouveau style and is one of the most picturesque places in the country. After this call, Balmoral heads north into the Arctic Circle. She calls at Tromsø, surrounded by snow-capped peaks even in summer, then on up to Honningsvǻg for the North Cape – the very ‘top of Europe’. 

The next two ports are even further north. Longyearbyen, Svalbard, enjoys daylight around-the-clock in the summer months. The town has 1,600 inhabitants and reindeer can be seen roaming the streets. Originally a mining town, it has a museum dedicated to its mining and whaling history. Next port, Ny Alesund, is the most northerly permanent settlement in the world and is home to a scientific research centre.

Balmoral then begins her journey south, visiting Kristiansund, famous for its Klippfish (dried cod) Museum, and, finally, the pretty fjord land village of Olden, before returning to Southampton.

Prices for this memorable voyage start from £1,879 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin cabin, Grade ‘I’. The price includes all meals and entertainment on board and port taxes. There is no extra charge for taking part in Vistas activity.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's cruising specialists.

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Grand Voyage To Greenland

Join Noble Caledonia this autumn for a remarkable expedition cruise, sailing from Iceland across the Denmark Strait to begin a voyage around the fjords and islands of southern Greenland. Following in the wake of the great Norse settlers, who risked life and limb some 900 years ago when they left the shores of Iceland, this grand expedition cruise takes in the full majesty of coastal Greenland, which is marvellous to behold with its great towering cliffs, walls of glacial ice, winding fjords, vast ice-sheets and flowing glaciers. It is one of the last great wilderness areas where man has made little difference to the landscape and tourists are still a rarity. For most visitors, their first encounter with Greenland is a humbling experience as they witness nature in the raw and look out across a magnificent Arctic world. Highlights of the cruise will be numerous and Noble Caledonia guests aboard their MS Caledonian Sky will make good use of a fleet of Zodiacs in exploring numerous small bays and viewing icebergs of all shapes and sizes. The exploration includes Prins Christian Sund, a region with a jagged coastline that is home to a rich animal kingdom. In addition to the onboard team, TV expert Dui Landmark will also be joining this voyage. Dui was born in Iceland and studied photography and film-making in Paris. He has worked as a guide since 1987 and graduated from the Icelandic guide school in 1993. He speaks fluent English and French and is very knowledgeable on the nature, geology and history of both Iceland and Greenland. He has also worked as a film director and producer since 1994 on numerous TV programmes, documentaries and commercials for both Icelandic and foreign networks. Many of his films focus on birdlife, travel, hunting and fishing. These films are shot on location all around the world with many being shot in Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. This voyage costs from £4,495, including economy class scheduled air travel, 12 nights aboard the Caledonian Sky on a full board basis with house wine and beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, expedition team, shore excursions, gratuities to crew and whilst on excursions, transfers, port taxes, airport taxes, overnight accommodation in Copenhagen on bed and breakfast basis. Book by July 31 and save £500/person.  For bookings, follow this link to the Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's adventure-cruise specialists.

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Northwest Passage = Plethora of Wildlife

While the history of the 300-year search for the Northwest Passage, which links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, is well documented, travellers in search of a polar adventure may be less aware of the huge variety and numbers of wildlife to be enjoyed during a voyage through the Canadian High Arctic.

According to Aaron Lawton, a Northwest Passage Expedition Leader with specialist small-ship cruise company One Ocean Expeditions, it is possible to be truly inundated and overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of marine mammals, polar bears and birdlife that appear during such a voyage.

This bombardment of wildlife sightings is by no means an isolated experience as passengers on board the impressive ice-strengthened Akademik Ioffe will discover. Using zodiac inflatable boats with the quietest of motors, travelling upwind of a polar bear, it is possible to safely get within metres of these beautiful creatures as they stroll along the shoreline. And, with a real chance of seeing pods of beluga or bowhead whales, a raft of ringed, harp or bearded seals, a herd of walrus and staggering numbers of birds, many with chicks in various stages of fledging, it is certain to be a wildlife experience to remember.

Today’s adventurers will travel in much greater comfort than the remarkable polar explorers who went before them. Facilities on board include a bar and lounge, a library and media room, plus a theatre-style presentation room, gift-shop and wellness centre with massage, sauna and hot tub, as well as a dining room serving excellent meals throughout the voyage.

Additional highlights of the 14-night trip, which travels between Kangerlussuaq in Greenland and Coppermine in Canada, include majestic, steep-sided fjords and massive tabular icebergs; the chance to visit remote Inuit communities and meet traditional Greenlandic kayakers; and the opportunity to participate in hiking, kayaking, photographic and birding expeditions in the company of expert guides.

One Ocean Expeditions is offering the choice of two 14-night voyages through the Northwest Passage this summer. Departures are on August 12 from Kangerlussuaq, sailing west to Coppermine, and August 26 in reverse.

Prices start from $7,590 per person, based on triple share and from $10,990 for a private twin cabin. Suites and superior cabins are also available and range from $11,990-$13,990. Charter flights between Ottawa and Kangerlussuaq and Edmonton and Coppermine are required for passengers joining these voyages, at an additional cost of $1,850 per person.

Kayaking excursions are also available at a cost of $695 per person. Return transfers between Kangerlussuaq/Kugluktuk airports and the ship, all meals and accommodation and zodiac excursions are included.

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's luxury cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Welcome Back The Spring With Hurtigruten

As the snow slowly melts away, the sun ventures back above the horizon and the days get longer, the Norwegians celebrate the return of spring. Now, for the first time, guests travelling with Hurtigruten between March 15 and May 31 can enjoy their journey under a brand new ‘Arctic Awakening’ theme. This includes a wide range of shore excursions and onboard activities and the celebration of the Norwegian National Day on May 17.

Shore excursions take guests closer to the marine life, migratory birds and coastal animals and allow them to experience the Norwegian spring awakening first-hand. Included is the brand new ‘Kayaking in Tromsø’ excursion where participants paddle along the coast surrounded by an impressive mountain landscape. 

Other excursions include a trip to the largest seabird colony in Scandinavia on the bird island of Runde and to the national park on the Varanger peninsula, which is home to an overwhelming number of different species of birds.

The theme of the activities on board is ‘Secrets of the Sea’ and guests will get the opportunity to learn different skills, such as how to shell prawns and fillet fish, all under the guidance of local fishermen who come on board especially for this purpose.

The zest for life shown by Norwegians during spring finally culminates in the National Day, which is celebrated on board all ships in the Hurtigruten fleet, with guests and crew coming together to celebrate with handmade banners, singing and dancing. 

In the ports, guests can mingle with the locals amidst a great deal of excitement and laughter, with many locals coming on board to sample the delicacies of the Norwegian cake buffet. A variety of talks are also offered on the ships, providing guests with information about the history of National Day, the royal family of Norway and the national costumes.

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's leading adventure-cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

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The Arctic Circle with Hurtigruten

Continuing Steve Newman's 'live' blog on the classic Norwegian coastal cruise with Hurtigruten: 

Well, what a fabulous walk around Trondheim yesterday. The amazing cathedral and the old wooden houses of the old town; the vivid colours of the warehouses now converted into restaurants or studios along the river. Bit of a skating rink with the snow but that just added to the fun! 

Loads of Norwegian school childen got on the ship this morning and they are all desperate to practice their English!

Today we are going to cross the Arctic Circle, marked by a globe on a small islet  near Nesna, and now we're getting into serious Northern Lights country! After a stop at Bodo, we're striking out deep into the Arctic ocean to the Lofoten Islands.

We are due to arrive at Stamsund about 7pm and are then off to a real Viking feast ashore. When we leave the islands, we navigate through the narrow Raftsund Strait and the Troifiord, where we are going to get traditional fishcakes on deck!

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's luxury cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

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NASA Predicts Bumper Winter For Northern Lights

Is seeing the Northern Lights high on your must-do list? Well, this winter could be the year to maximise the chance of seeing them, as NASA predicts that the winter months will see the strongest Northern Lights activity in 50 years.

And what better place to see them than from a Hurtigruten ship, where they are set against the dark night sky, away from artificial light? The Aurora Borealis have increased in intensity since 2007 and will be at their peak in 2012 as the Solar Maximum - the period with the greatest solar activity - peaks around every 11 to 12 years. NASA are also predicting the Solar Maximum will be stronger than at any time in the last 50 years.

The Northern Lights are at their most active in the late autumn and occur most frequently and at their brightest in a belt some 2,500km from the magnetic pole. Much of the Norwegian coast lies in an area with the greatest activity, especially the high Arctic above the Arctic Circle.

Hurtigruten's six-day Voyage North departs daily between November 1 and December 31, sailing from Bergen to Kirkenes, with the chance to add a range of excursions such as a visit to the North Cape, snowmobiling or dog-sledding. Prices start from £625 per person, including six nights half-board on the ship and no single supplements. Flight packages including transfers are available from £495 based on London departures.

For more info, visit www.hurtigruten.co.uk or the UK's adventure-cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Arizona In The High Arctic!

(Continuing my day-by-day Arctic tour with Hurtigruten)

Our final day with Hurtigruten in Spitsbergen. The afternoon saw us landing on Skanssebukin with its huge cliffs that look as if they have been plucked from Arizona and dropped here in the high Arctic.

Dunlin and Purple sandpiper foraged in the rocks whilst Little Auks and Puffins were flying back with bills full of fish. At one point, I witnessed an Arctic Skua chasing a puffin low across the water with the latter finally resorting to splashing into the water, still keeping its fish whilst the Skua shot overhead and flew off.

A fabulous week of contrasts, breathtaking scenery and amazing wildlife. Do go. you'll never regret it.


For more info, visit www.hurtigruten.co.uk or the adventure-cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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The World's Most Northerly Train

(Continuing my day-by-day look at my epic Arctic voyage with Hurtigruten)

Welcome to the world's most northerly settlement at Ny Alesund, with what must be the world's most northerly train. Now just a museum piece, she rusts away quietly after pulling wagons of coal to the port for some thirty years.

Another day of fabulous scenery and fantastic history and wildlife, too. Reindeer, brent goose and ivory gull were all spotted today, with us cruising close to some incredible glaciers.

I wish had more time and space to tell you about this wonderful place but I guess you'll have to wait for it to appear in World of Cruising next month!

This place is surrounded by signs warning you not to go outside the settlement as polar bears are around. All the houses have shovels and skis by the doors, with 4x4s parked outside.

You can find out more at www.hurtigruten.co.uk or, to book, visit the adventure-cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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All This Ice And It's Too Early For a Gin & Tonic!

(Continuing my day-by-day look at my epic Arctic voyage with Hurtigruten)

Welcome to another day in the high Arctic. The scenery up here is incredible. Even on an overcast day like this morning, it takes your breath away. If you can't get all the way to the Antarctica, then do try and get up here as it's really, seriously wonderful.

On sunny days, the whole character of the place changes and you get a totally different type of beauty.

Tomorrow we are going to see some of the relics from the early polar explorers and visiting the world's most northerly settlement.

For more info on the cruise, visit www.hurtigruten.co.uk or contact the UK's adventure-cruise experts of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Blogging from the Arctic

From Steve Newman in Longyearbyen

Well hello! Here we are in Spitsbergen deep inside the Arctic Circle. We board Hurtigruten's MV Fram in about two hours so I'm writing this in the hotel. It's snowing! But the scenery is fantastic - wild reindeer are grazing outside our hotel but we can't go out to the end of the road as there are polar bears about!

Amazing last night sitting in the bar at 1am with the locals in broad daylight. Well, we have a meeting with the expedition staff now so I'll write again tomorrow (Internet connection permitting) and hopefully have some pictures for you.

(NB: Pic added from Hurtigruten via World of Cruising editor)

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Gap's Late Season Arctic Expeditions

July may be the most popular month to cruise to the Arctic, but Gap Adventures is advising travellers to think again and consider journeying later in the season to see some stunning sights.

The leading adventure tour operator advises that while the daylight hours may be shorter, the sunsets and sunrises more than compensate for this, with lengthy displays overflowing with golds, pinks and purples – all reflected in the ice fields and the alpine mountain tops.

Meanwhile, the sight of the stars in the long clear nights is a magnificent display, only enhanced by the chance to see the Aurora Borealis. - a truly unforgettable experience that can only be witnessed towards the end of the Arctic cruise season.

With Gap Adventures’ industry-first 100% bear-guarantee, travellers at the end of the season can also be confident the wildlife will live up to mid-season voyages. The company has such confidence in its Expedition Team’s ability to locate polar bears that it now guarantees at least one of our planet’s largest land predators will be spotted during each of its Arctic adventures.

Realm of the Polar Bear

Now: £2,730pp for a category 3 twin cabin (was £3,639; save 25% on this departure;Trip Code: XVRPNX)
Departs: August 7; Highlights: Spot whales and polar bears, explore incredible scenery, brave the Arctic waters swimming, encounter Ny-Ålesund birdlife and glaciers, discover breathtaking ice-covered fjords and glimpse herds of Svalbard’s many species of reindeer.

Price includes seven nights onboard the M/S Expedition, all meals, Zodiac excursions with expert expedition team, lecture and educational programmes, Longyearbyen airport transfers depending on passenger flight details, live evening entertainment, waterproof boots and Arctic destination guide.

For more info, visit www.gapadventures.com or contact the UKL's leading adventure-cruise experts, The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Voyaging To World's Last Frontier

Aurora Expeditions is once again pushing the boundaries of expedition travel with voyages to the Russian Arctic and Russian Far East; a land of complex history, unique cultures, inspiring landscapes and astounding wildlife.

Aurora Expeditions' ‘Voyage to the End of the Earth’ is a 14-day adventure to the Russian Arctic departing Murmansk, with prices starting from $8,080 per person.

Discover a region so remote and wild that few have ever been. The 191 pristine islands that make up Franz Josef Land were the planet's last major landmass to be discovered. Uninhabited, minus a few Russian border guards, this is the realm of the polar bear, walrus, seals and the elusive beluga whale.

Only accessible by sea, the region has been open to foreigners only since 1991. This geological wonder really is the world’s last frontier, virtually untouched and waiting to be explored.

Last Minute offer: Receive 15% off 'Voyage to the End of the Earth'

Aurora's ‘The Ring Of Fire’ voyage will then unlock the mysteries of the Kurils, taking you deep into a wildlife and geological wonderland. Departing Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, this 13-day voyage will showcase the lush valleys, lakes and rivers, and snow-capped volcanoes of Kamchatka’s east coast, where brown bears feast on berries and salmon. The ship's fleet of Zodiacs will take visitors to intimate viewings of spectacular seabirds, Stellar sea lions, whales, otters and seal colonies. Prices start from $7,250 per person.

Special offer: Receive 10% off 'Ring Of Fire – Kuril Islands'

Both voyages will set sail on Aurora Expeditions' brand new ship, Akademik Shokalskiy. This ice-strengthened research ship was built in Finland in 1982. Fully refurbished in 2008, it provides accommodation for a maximum of 54 passengers as well as two dining rooms, lounge bar, lecture theatre, sauna and an ‘Open Bridge’ policy.

For more info, see www.auroraexpeditions.com.au or contact the UK's leading adventure-cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE - CHARITY ON THE POLAR SEAS

Guests on board Hurtigruten voyages in Spitsbergen, Greenland and Antarctica this season will be offered the opportunity to raise money in support of the areas of the Arctic and Antarctic they have just sailed through. At the end of every expedition voyage a charity auction will now takes place with all funds raised being donated to local preservation organisations.

Trialed last year, these auctions have now become a permanent fixture on MS Fram expedition voyages. The usual beneficiaries are institutions that look after the preservation and further development of areas visited such as the Antarctica South Georgia Heritage Trust, Birdlife International or the Ocean Foundation. However, the auctions can also help local people such as Greenland’s children who also receive support from the money raised.

“We want to give something back to the regions we have visited.” Said Expedition Team Leader Karin Strand. “Our guests respond very positively to the auctions. They too recognise the privilege of being able to travel to these remote areas and they like to say thank you by giving something back.”

Items coming under the hammer include the sea chart for the voyage in question, expedition team jackets and donated items from the research stations and localities visited during the voyage. On one voyage alone last year, the operator raised 6000 euro.

For more information visit Hurtigruten http://www.hurtigruten.co.uk/ or The Cruise Line.

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This Summer's Arctic Scramble

Hurtigruten's Arctic Cruises on board the MV Fram this summer are seeing a massive surge in bookings due to the Arctic Exploration vessel MV Polar Star's owner Karlsen Shipping co. of Halifax, Nova Scotia, being placed into receivership. Polar Star had recently undergone repairs, in the Canary Islands, after a grounding in the Antarctic on January.

The Karlsen vessel would have been sailing in the Arctic until September. However, with her being unable to sail, anyone considering a cruise in this region this summer is advised to contact Arctic expedition companies such as Hurtigruten (www.hurtigruten.co.uk) or, for a more detailed list of operators with vacancies, adventure-cruise specialists The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Hurtigruten Celebrate Amundsen and Nansen

This year marks the centenary of Roald Amundsen’s trek to the South Pole and the 150^th Anniversary of the birth of Fridtjof Nansen. The original slides taken on their journeys were seen on a helioscopic projector at the Royal Geographical Society in April in an evening organised by polar specialsists Hurtigruten, the first time since they were shown by the explorers themselves nearly 100 years ago.

Sadly, the slides and artifacts are not available for public viewing but there are still plenty of ways to follow in their footsteps today. You can take part in adventure cruising and actually walk where these men walked or sip a gin and tonic from the observation lounge as the icebergs and snow capped mountains slip slowly by.

Like the old explorers, you will have to cross the Drake Passage, the unpredictable stretch of water from Tierra del Fuego to the White Continent and, like them, you can marvel at the albatrosses as they soar around the ship with majestic ease.

Both Amundsen and Nansen were Norwegian and, indeed, the company’s polar cruise ship holding around 200 people on an average trip is named the Fram, the same as the original ship that was used by both men between 1893 and 1912 (Nansen had originally planned to get her stuck in the ice and drift across the North Pole).

Hurtigruten visit both the Arctic and Antarctic plus Greenland, Spitsbergen and operate their famous Norwegian coastal cruise, the Hurtigruten itself.

Our picture shows, from left to right, Alasdair McLeod, Head of Enterprises and Resources at the Royal Geographical Society; Ian Nash and Kathryn Beadle, Hurtigruten UK; Amja Erdmann Antarctic and Arctic Expedition leader onboard Fram; and Olav Fjell, Chief Executive of Hurtigruten.

For more info, visit www.hurtigruten.co.uk or The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Spotlight On The European Arctic

This year, adventure cruise company Aurora Expeditions celebrates its 15th season of exploring the European Arctic. This exciting kingdom of the polar bear is best discovered on board Aurora's Polar Pioneer, a small ice-strengthened ship that takes a maximum of 54 passengers and has the flexibility to reach places larger ships can’t.

On an expedition to the Arctic with Aurora, passengers can stretch their legs on mountain walks and tundra whilst searching for reindeer, musk ox or an Arctic fox. Zodiac cruises will bring passengers up close to walrus, whales, seals and polar bears. For the more daring, they also offer an exciting range of adventure activities, including sea kayaking and polar scuba-diving.

Jewels of the Arctic - August 10 and September 2 (14 days, from AU$7,655 including ship accommodation, all meals onboard, all shore excursions, lectures, medical services, port charges and taxes)

This adventure combines the best of Spitsbergen and Greenland, with a taste of Iceland. Cross from Spitsbergen’s rugged north-west coast over the Greenland Sea to fantastic icebergs and the fairytale landscape of granite spires rising 2,000m above the fjords. Be welcomed by local Inuits and learn some of the trade secrets of their culture.

Spitsbergen Odyssey – July 11, 21 and 31 (11 days, from AU$6,080, including ship accommodation, all meals onboard, all shore excursions, lectures, medical services, port charges and taxes)

Explore the home of the polar bear. There are no open-sea crossings on this discovery voyage where you’ll find deep fjords, mysterious desert mountains and seals and whales in the Arctic pack ice. This voyage offers the best chance for finding polar bears and features wildflower walks, trapper camps and historical remains of whaling stations. Avid divers will love the inaugural Arctic scuba dives, which begin on this voyage on July 31

For more information, visit http://www.auroraexpeditions.com.au/ or the UK's leading expedition cruising specialists The Cruise Line Ltd.

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